


The Largest In The World

by 04JETTA



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Airplanes, Airports, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:20:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/04JETTA/pseuds/04JETTA
Summary: Their world had collapsed that day. In an instant they lost the ones who had mattered most to them. Then one day they found each other and got the second chance at life they’d always wanted, until Cloud made a mistake. In an instant Tifa was gone. Years later Cloud goes on vacation having no idea who might be sitting next to him on the plane. Nor did he know the events that were about to unfold and how it would change their lives forever.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Shouldn't You Be Upfront?

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn’t planning on doing this until next year but you never know when inspiration will strike! I want to warn everyone some of the dialogue later on gets a bit technical but I tried to keep it as simple as I could. 
> 
> Roses are red  
> Violets are blue  
> I no own  
> So you no sue
> 
> All rights belong to their prospective owners.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys!!

I’m not missing my flight. Not _this_ time _._

  


Gasping for oxygen he ran through the terminal at breakneck speed with his baggage in tow. It’d been a rough few days for Cloud Strife. First he’d nearly lost his job due to something that was definitely _not_ his fault. Then he’d missed his first flight two days earlier due to the power going out. Finally he’d called the airline, only to fight tooth and nail to get rebooked on this flight. Gaia can I just start my vacation? Is that too much to ask after everything I’ve been through?

  


He sprinted down the concourse, thankful that it was an evening flight which meant no crowds. As the gate came into view, he felt a sudden pang of emptiness. I wish she was here so then we could share this together instead of being apart. Tifa Lockhart had always been the love of his life. The girl he’d had a crush on since childhood and the one who he’d finally mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to. Then one day five years ago, she disappeared without a trace. It had been devastating for him. Losing her felt like his soul had no oxygen, like his heart had turned to ice, as though he would never be complete again. On the other hand after what he’d done, how could he blame her? 

  


  


Finally, he arrived at the gate breathing a sigh of relief to see the plane was still there. The ticket agent looked up in surprise. “Are you Mr Strife?” “Yeah that’s me” “We were just about to close the gate. May I see your ticket?” Cloud dug it out of his pocket, handing it to the agent who scanned it. “Checking one bag?” Cloud nodded, handing it over to her “Just this one, got the tag on there already” “I’ll make sure they put it on there. Have a nice flight Mr. Strife” “Thanks, and tell the pilots I appreciate them for waiting” “Of course”

  


Cloud made his way down the jetway, looking through the windows in awe. The sky had just begun to turn into that special shade of magenta that could only be seen this time of day. Again his mind found itself wandering to Tifa. To the memories they’d shared, the sunsets and sunrises they’d watched together. No matter how beautiful the sky was, it was never the same without her.

  


As he reached the end of the walkway Cloud looked out the window once more, freezing in place at the sight of the plane’s massive wing. The A380 was the largest plane in the world, standing eight stories off the ground with over 500 seats across two floors it was a marvel to be admired. Cloud had always loved planes since he was a kid, hence why he’d decided long ago to become a pilot. He’d started off as a fighter pilot in the Shinra Air Force flying F16 fighters. He trained hard, sharpening his skill to the point where even his Commander had reluctantly admitted Cloud was one of the best pilots he’d ever seen. After a few months Cloud was promoted to the F22, which was where the problems had begun. Eventually he transferred to flying cargo before being honorably discharged six months earlier. Now he flew for another airline full time. 

Despite being a pilot, outside of the sky he had a constant knack for getting lost. Hotels, malls, movie theaters, it seemed as though direction was just not his strong suit. “Sir?” He turned around to see a smiling woman in uniform. “Can I help you?” Cloud showed the attendant his ticket. “I hope so” She studied his boarding pass briefly. “Row 7, that’s the upper deck. This way” As they headed up the stairs, Cloud couldn’t help but be in awe at the size of it. Glad I’m not the one flying today. Hope I don’t get stuck next to someone who snores, or worse smells. By the time they’d reached his seat, Cloud’s legs felt had turned to jelly. “Here you are” He nodded in understanding. “Thank you”

  


In the seat next to his was a young girl who appeared to be engrossed in a book she was reading. Cloud paid her no mind plopping down into his seat, thankful to finally rest his legs. He quickly buckled his seatbelt, eager to get some peace and quiet. “Cloud?” His heart stopped at the sound of the sweet familiar voice. There’s no way, it can’t be. Cloud slowly turned to face the girl, eyes growing wide in surprise. She had long black hair, and a pair of crimson eyes that Cloud would recognize anywhere. “Tifa” Tifa frowned “What are you doing here?” “Uh, I’m flying” “Shouldn’t you be up front then?” “Tifa…..as a passenger” “Oh……I see” Stone silence fell between the two of them, as the attendants shut the door and began the safety demonstration. “H-how are you?” Cloud stammered. Tifa let out a sight of frustration. “Fine. Just been busy, you?” “Um, been better I guess” “Sorry to hear” “Tifa………” She looked up from her book and turned to him, eyes filled with pure anger. “What?” “N-nothing, you um….look nice by the way” “Can you be quiet please?” “S-sorry”  


  


  


Tifa struggled to focus on the book she’d been reading. Even after everything he’d done to her, a part of her had still come alive the second she’d seen him. Perhaps it was those icy blue eyes of his that made her feel as though he was staring deeply into her soul. Or maybe it was the sound of his voice saying her name and reigniting the fire in her heart that she’d long since sworn had been extinguished. Tifa had been on a few dates since she’d last seen him, all of which ended up with her rushing straight home in disappointment. There was just no connection there, none of them had the spark her and Cloud once shared, none of them made her feel the way he did. No matter what she tried, her mind always compared them to Cloud and regardless of how far she searched there just wasn’t another him. Still it did not excuse what he’d done to her and for that she didn’t know if she could or _should_ ever forgive him.

  


Cloud sat back, unable to get his mind off the fact that she was sitting right next to him. Can’t believe I screwed things up, finally I get the girl of my dreams and I let her go. He still remembered spending the day at the jeweler, trying to pick out a ring to surprise Tifa with. His best friend Zack had warned him that it might be too soon, but Cloud knew the truth. Had he not done what he did there was little doubt she would’ve said yes. After everything went down Cloud considered returning it, but couldn’t bring himself to do so. Even knowing she wanted nothing to do with him, it wasn’t a possibility he could just let go of. Cloud laid his head back and closed his eyes in the hope that sleep would do him some good.

  


  


_“Cloud! Can you hear me?”_

_Cloud slowly opened his eyes to see an all too familiar pair of red orbs staring down at him. “Tifa!!” he pulled her body close to his, squeezing her tight. “I thought I lost you……….”_

_“Oh Cloud, you’ll never lose me. You really think after everything we’ve been through I’d ever think about letting you go?”_

_Cloud smiled wide, releasing his grip on her and leaning slightly back. Her eyes stared curiously into his, causing colonies of butterflies in Cloud’s stomach. “G-guess that’s true, I…….I don’t want to live a life without you”_

_Tifa tilted her head curiously. “Cl-Cloud……..what are you saying?”_

_Cloud took a look around, realizing they were back in their old apartment. Reaching over, he opened the drawer of the nightstand. “Been waiting for the right time to-“ His heart stopped, as to his shock and horror there was nothing there. “N-no……that’s impossible”_

_“Cloud what’s wrong?”_

_“I got that for you………I swear I put it in here”_

_“Got what? Cloud talk to me. Cloud……..Cloud……Cloud…..”_

“Cloud!!” Tifa called slightly louder. Cloud sat up suddenly, heart pounding in his chest. He turned to see her staring deeply at him, eyes filled with worry. “Ti-Tifa?”

  


“You were whispering my name and…….saying that you put something somewhere”

  


“N-nothing, just……..weird dream”

  


Tifa sighed in frustration. There he goes again shutting me out. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. “Anyways……..they were asking for someone with flying experience”

  


“Wh-what?”

  


“I don’t know, they just said to ding the call button so I thought……..”

  


“R-right, thank you” Cloud hit the attendant button. “How long have we been in the air?”

  


“Maybe a few hours?”

  


“Oh”

  


Tifa’s found herself unable to look away from him. His eyes were wide and he appeared to be breathing quite rapidly. “Cloud you look really nervous………”

  


“Thought we weren’t talking?”

  


Her heart sank all the way down to her stomach. Shaking her head Tifa picked her book back up. “Fine”

  


“Tifa……joke. I was……never mind”

  


Tifa set her book down, turning to face him. “Look I’m sorry, it’s just you can’t expect-“

  


“Excuse me miss, you have flying experience?”

  


They looked up to see a flight attendant staring at them. Cloud noted the look she had, eyes scanning them anxiously, beads of sweat rolling down her face. In short, she looked terrified.

  


“Not me, he does”

  


“Sir can you come with me please?”

  


Cloud sighed, undoing his seatbelt and rising to his feet. He took one last look at Tifa, who had already picked her book back up and resume reading. Guess since she’s moved on maybe it’s time for me to try and do the same. He followed the flight attendant towards the front of the plane, noting the empty seats and countless stares from each of the passengers as they convened in the kitchen. The attendant motioned for Cloud to go in first, shutting the curtain behind them.

  


“Sir what kind of experience do you have exactly?”

  


“Its Cloud. I flew in the military for almost five years, then transferred to an airline about six months ago”

  


“Cloud…….what I’m about to tell you is very serious. We need your help and experience to ensure a safe outcome”

  


“Just tell me what’s going on. Did something happen in the cockpit?”

  


“We were serving dinner as planned, you were asleep and the girl next to you had water. About 20 minutes into food service people started complaining of stomach pain. As the passengers were assessed I ran up to call the cockpit. They buzzed me in without and I found both of them out of their seats barely able to stand. It appears the Captain and First Officer got it as well”

  


“Are you serious?”

  


“As I said its very serious, two of my colleagues are also sick”

  


“We have a doctor on board?”

  


“And a nurse, however just as they started to examine the patients some of them began losing consciousness”

  


“Are you……what the hell is this?”

  


“We don’t know”

  


“So now you need me to fly?”

  


“You said you have experience?”

  


Cloud stood in silence, mind thinking through all the possibilities. It was true he could fly, but it was also true that they were on the largest plane ever made in history. Training typically took four to six weeks to complete. It wasn’t something one just jumped into. Not to mention a plane this size always required two people to operate.

  


“Take me to the cockpit”

  


The flight attendant nodded, leading him up the stairs to the cockpit door. Cloud followed cautiously behind, thinking through how he was going to accomplish getting everyone on the ground safely. Never before had he had so many lives in his hands. It felt daunting, impossible, and yet he was never one to turn down a challenge. The flight attendant inserted her key, opened the door and motioned for Cloud to step inside.

  


Taking a deep breath, Cloud stepped forward eyes growing wide in surprise. An endless plethora of monitors lay before him, each displaying a unique set of information. Then there were the endless buttons and knobs that covered nearly every inch of the ceiling, along with the space between the chairs.

  


Cloud took a few steps forward, carefully climbing into the captain’s seat. “Where are the sick?”

  


“In the employee lounge below, we are treating them the best we can but they need a hospital”

  


“You have a lounge on……..never mind”

  


“Cloud I need to know, can you handle this plane?” 

  


Cloud hesitated, thinking about the gravity his answer would entail. “Possibly, but I need to ask a favor”

  


Tifa looked down the aisle worryingly. He sure has been gone a while, I wonder what’s wrong? How come they aren’t telling us anything? Tifa shook her head, pushing thoughts of Cloud to the back of her mind. Doesn’t matter, he’s gone and I should be happy. Sooner we land the sooner I can move on from it all.

  


“Miss?”

  


Tifa looked up surprised to see the same flight attendant as before. “Y-yes?”

  


“If you’ll come with me please? And grab your belongings”

  


“What? What is this about? I’m not going-“

  


“Tifa is it?”

  


Tifa’s jaw fell wide open. “H-how did you know that?” 

  


“The gentlemen sitting next to you informed me. Please don’t make a scene, just come with me and I’ll explain”

  


Tifa hesitated, before giving a slight nod and standing up. Whatever it was wasn’t worth causing a scene over. She quietly followed the attendant to the kitchen in the front. Moments later, Tifa entered first with the attendant behind her who immediately closed the curtain. Tifa turned around, shaking her head in frustration. “I’m not going anywhere else until I get some answers. What’s going on?”

  


“I need you to stay calm. Your boyfriend seems well qualified”

  


“He’s not my……..what is this about?”

  


“You notice we’ve stopped serving dinner?”

  


“Listen I’m not trying to sound rude but………oh my god”

  


“Look we don’t know what the exact cause is, it-“

  


“They all ate something didn’t they?”

  


“Wh-what, how did-“

  


“I own 10 bars in three cities, I know a thing or two about food safety. What did they eat exactly?”

  


The flight attendant let out a heavy sigh. “Some ate chicken the others ate fish. We still have no way of-“

  


“Do you have the container it came in??”

  


The flight attendant nodded and opened one of the nearby cupboards. After a few minutes, she pulled out the boxes. “Its gourmet, prepped ahead of time and we cook it on board”

  


Tifa moved in closer, eyeing the containers closely looking specifically at the serial numbers. “Just as I thought…….there was a recall on this”

  


“What?”

  


“Yeah, all were supposed to be returned or destroyed. Contains some kind of parasite I think, attacks the nervous system but the condition is treatable. How are they?”

  


“Not good. Many are vomiting, some are nauseous and others are unconscious”

  


“Jesus…….so what do you need me for?”

  


“I’ll let him explain that, I need to check in with the doctor down below. Your boyfriend is waiting just up there, I left the door unlocked”

  


“But-“

  


The flight attendant rushed off leaving Tifa standing alone. She turned to look up the stairs. The corridor was long and unlit, creating an ominous view that caused a sinking feeling inside her stomach. All the years they’d known each other, all those nights she’d wondered if he would come back to her. Now that he had finally returned Tifa found herself unsure of what to do. She did however realize one thing, she wasn’t going to gain any answers by standing around waiting for them. Taking a deep breath, she began her trek up the stairs.


	2. We're Better Than This

Cloud searched through menu after menu, struggling to find the information he needed. I need another person up here, can’t do this on my own if we’re going have any chance of making it.

“Cloud?” 

Cloud turned around, breathing a sigh of relief to see her standing in the doorway. “Tifa…..thank god”

“Cloud what’s going on?”

“Just take a seat and I’ll explain”

Tifa frowned in confusion. “Cloud I’m not doing-“ 

“Tifa please. Trust me, I’ll explain everything this time”

Tifa felt her heart twist inside her chest like a corkscrew. _This_ time who does he think he is to say something like that? After what he did to me he’s asking me to trust him? He must be joking. 

Cloud took a breath. “Look I get it, you’re upset-“

“You think?” 

“Can you just let me finish?”

Tifa squinted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Make it fast”

“Take a seat and I’ll explain everything. I know you have a lot of questions, and I’ll be happy to answer them. Also before you say it I know you don’t owe me anything. In fact if you walked out that door I wouldn’t stop you. Not because I don’t care but because I’ve got my hands full up here.”

“Hands full? Wait…….Cloud-“

“Like I said it’s up to you. You going or not?”

“Ouch” 

“You know what Tifa? I tried being nice to you when I got on board. I tried complimenting you, and all I got was completely shut out. You told me not to speak but I’ve got news for you. I’m going to talk. Not because I don’t care about your feelings, but because I want to get you the answers you deserve. You walk out that door and I’ll never bring it up again. You’ll never know the truth about what happened or why”

TIfa scoffed. “You’d just walk away from me? Just like-” 

“Because you’re…….Tifa just listen. I don’t want to upset you anymore. The only reason I would ever do something like that is if I felt you were better off, if I thought you’d be more happy without me, if I……thought I wasn’t the person you deserve. Just listen to us, arguing like a couple of teenagers. Both of us know we’re better than this. I’m sorry that some of the things I said came across as offensive, not excusing anything but like I said I’ve got my hands full. So I’ll ask again, please sit down. I want to work this out but…….only if you’ll let me” 

Tifa’s jaw dropped, mind racing 1000 miles a minute. Even after all the time they’d been apart, all the nights she’d cried herself to sleep over what he’d done, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t right. She did want answers, and it pained her to admit it but she loved the fact he was taking charge. It was everything she’d remembered and then some. It was the opportunity her heart had cried out for since the last day he’d walked out of their apartment, a second chance.

She let out a heavy sigh, setting her stuff to the side and stepping further into the cockpit. Slowly but surely, she climbed into the seat across from him. “I can’t believe I’m doing this” 

Cloud chuckled. “Makes two of us”

“What is that suppose to……” Tifa stopped, failing to hold back a slight smirk.

Cloud smiled in response. “Comfy?”

“This is honestly the nicest seat I’ve ever sat in. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?”

“The pilots ate whatever was making everyone sick, so it’s just me and I need a second person up here”

“That’s what I thought. Cloud I don’t know if you’ve heard but I’m not a pilot”

“I get that, but I need someone I know and trust. I can’t do this alone Tifa I………I need you”

Tifa bit her lip, her crimson eyes nervously taking in the plethora of monitors before her. Each monitor held various amounts of information and numbers, none of which Tifa could make sense of. She laid her head back, staring upward to try and calm herself. Sadly this in turn just made her feel worse. A million switches and buttons lined the overhead console, most of them stating terms she’d never imagined let alone heard of. 

“Tifa?”

She lifted her head off the seat, turning to Cloud’s icy blue eyes. The man she hadn’t spoken to in five years, the one who she’d tried so very hard to hate, the one who for some reason her mind kept coming back to. Back to the time they’d spent together, back to the memories they’d shared, to the future she’d hoped they would build. “Cl-Cloud……….you can fly this right?” 

Cloud hesitated, unsure of how to answer at first. “Technically”

“Wh-what does that mean? Cloud I don’t know if I can do this…..” 

“Tifa just listen to me. I……….know we didn’t leave on the best of terms”

“That’s putting it mildly…..”

“I promise you I’ll explain before we land ok?”

“Cloud. Can you just answer-“

“Not until you agree”

“What?! Cloud-“

“Tifa……….please. Its important”

“Cloud……..I’m gonna go” Tifa began to rise up out of her seat, only for Cloud to grab her by the arm and sit her back down.

“Not doing this without you”

“Cloud…….let go of-“

“You want us to make it? To save everyone on board?”

“I’ll get the flight attendant-“

“I don’t want a flight attendant……would you just listen for one minute?”

Tifa frowned in annoyance before sitting back down. “Fine”

Cloud let go of her arm, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I………I don’t want to do this without you. I know I messed up, and I promise once we get some things sorted out we’ll talk. I…..I trust you Tifa. I know that seem hard to believe but I need you up here. You……….”

“What?” Tifa said bluntly.

Cloud shook his head. “Can’t believe I’m gonna say this…..you should’ve been my co-pilot all along” 

Tifa’s mouth hung open as her heart fluttered with life. “Cloud……….”

“I’m sorry. There I said it, if you don’t wanna be up here I guess its-” 

“Cloud would you just shut up for one second!” 

Cloud froze in shock, staring into her fiery eyes. “Go ahead”

Tifa stared back at him, mind flashing with the countless memories they’d shared.. Their first date, the first time he’d held her hand, their first kiss. All moments that connected their hearts in ways she’d never imagined. It made her believe they would have a second chance together after what happened. Then, as quickly as it had begun it was over. He left her all alone crushing any hopes she’d had of her dreams coming true. Now, it was looking as though she might have that chance again. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. I……..I believe you ok?”

“Y-you do?”

“Yes. We’re 20,000 feet above the earth and stuck in a tin can with no pilots. So I know you have no reason to lie given the dire circumstances”

“30”

“What?”

“Actually its 38-“

“Cloud……”

“S-sorry” 

Tifa sighed in frustration. “You drive me crazy sometimes…….”

“Join the club”

“What? What is that supposed to mean?”

“Tifa……….later?”

“What……….fine. When?”

“I’ll ask for a hold at 7000 feet. Then we’ll talk ok?”

“Cloud……..we need to land-“

“Tifa. Do you trust me?” 

Tifa stared deeply into his icy blue eyes, heart pounding with fear. “That’s a big ask……..”

“I know”

“I can say no?”

“If you want” 

“Cloud……I trust you”

“Really?”

“Yes, but if you grab my arm again I’m throwing you out” 

Cloud smiled. “Appreciate the enthusiasm” 

Tifa scoffed. “Just tell me what we need to do. You said you can fly this?”

“Its made by Airbus so-”

“Cloud……..English please?”

“Right. Sorry………you know DVD and Blu-Ray?”

“Yeah……” 

“They are more or less the same thing, but also completely different in a way”

“Cloud what are you-“

“Lets just say I’ve………mostly worked on DVD players”

Tifa frowned in confusion. Why can’t he just speak plain terms? “I don’t understand…………..Cl-Cloud? Are you saying you’ve never flown this type of plane before?”

“Not until today. Zack flies them but not this specific model”

“What? Oh my god, I remember that…….”

“Tifa-“ 

“He said it was a nightmare. That the computer was temperamental……..”

“He flew an earlier model then. After that he got retrained on a different version and flies them all over the world. Can’t stop talking about how much he loves it”

“You talk to him?” Tifa said in surprise.

“Here and there, why do you……oh. Like I said we’ll-“

“Its fine. Aerith said he’s hardly home”

“Y-yeah……I’ll have to talk to him about that” 

“Can you call him?”

“Doubt it. He flies for a different airline on the other side of the world. I can ask on the radio but it’s a long shot”

“Did he…….tell you anything about it?”

“Bits and pieces, again he’s on a different model”

“But you were in the military….”

“We don’t fly these. I flew fighters for one year and then switched to cargo”

“What?! You never told me that!” 

“Yeah…….well once we get down we’ll talk about that too I guess” 

“But why didn’t…….oh”

“Tifa-“

“Its fine, when we get lower like you said” 

Cloud let out a heavy sigh. I’m such an idiot. How could I ever let someone like her go after all we’ve been through? “Anything else you want to know?”

“Not right now, w-what would you like me to do?” 

“Put your headset on, just over there” 

Tifa turned to where he was pointing to see a dangling headset. She slowly picked it up, placing it over her thick black hair.

“Testing” 

Tifa jumped in shock, immediately yanking the headset off. “Cloud-“

“Tifa…….its me” She turned to see him wearing a similar headset as well.

“Oh……right I knew that”

Cloud chuckled as she put it back on. “Can you hear me Cloud?”

“Loud and clear. Main thing I’m gonna have you do is coordinate with the flight attendants, hit certain buttons, or read something from the POH”

“Poh?”

“No its Pee Oh…….never mind. It’s basically the airplane manual”

“Well if there’s a manual why don’t we-“

“Tifa, one thing at a time. I’m gonna turn the radio on now ok?”

“O-ok” 

Cloud took a brief look around before finding the correct knob. “We’re CloTi 777. Just let me do the talking”

Suddenly, a plethora of chatter filled Tifa’s ears. Most of which may as well have been a whole different language, she did however recognize one transmission.

_Hey Kalm 78 you up?_

_Yeah go ahead_

_Hey I’m trying to reach CloTi 777, any chance you could relay a message to them?_

_Sure go ahead ___

___If you get a hold of them, tell them to contact me on 127.7__ _

__Cloud leaned forward, eyeing what looked to be a joystick to Tifa. “Cloud-“_ _

__“Give me a second”_ _

___And CloTi 777 this is Kalm 78_ _ _

__Tifa bit her lip. “Their calling-“_ _

__“Yes I can hear that, there’s a button somewhere…….ah” Cloud reached up to the flight controls, causing Tifa’s heart to skip several beats. Reaching his hand around it, he pressed a button Tifa couldn’t see._ _

__“Yeah twenty seven seven I got it, thanks” Tifa watched as he reached down to the center console between them. There lay a series of knobs she hadn’t even noticed, along with a plethora of screens filled with numbers. She noted one screen change numbers as Cloud spun the knob around._ _

__Cloud pressed another button with his right hand, before hitting the same button with his left. “Center CloTi 777?”_ _

___CloTi 777 go ahead_ _ _

__“We’re declaring an emergency. We’ve lost both pilots and several crew due to food poisoning. Need to divert to the nearest airport”_ _

___Cloti 777 I copy all and…..do you know the nature of the injuries? Also can I get fuel and souls on board when you get a second?_ _ _

__“Standby”_ _

__Tifa eyes widened in surprise as her mind connected the dots. “You push the button to talk……”_ _

__“Yeah, they can’t hear us now. Now I need to work out how much fuel we have left over”_ _

__“Are we……low?”_ _

__“Not sure yet, it’s in the computer somewhere. I’ll need your help”_ _

__“O-ok”_ _

__Thankfully they were able to find the correct information in a few short minutes._ _

__“Tifa, use the phone to call the flight attendants. Ask them the condition of those who are sick, need age and gender too”_ _

__“Cloud you expect me to remember that? Also what phone?”_ _

__Gaia help me. Guess I need to remember she’s not a pilot like me. He rummaged around in the plane’s side pocket before thankfully finding exactly what he needed. “After we get out of this I’m gonna teach you a few things, here”_ _

__Tifa turned to see him handing her a notebook and pen. She cautiously took it from him. “So then how-“_ _

__“Phone is just behind your seat, should connect you to the cabin”_ _

__“Cloud, there’s no pho-“ Tifa stopped, surprised to see there was indeed a phone just behind her hip. She sighed, picking it up off the holster. “Thought you did DVDs?”_ _

__“Heh, just make the call. Age-“_ _

__“Gender and condition. I got it”_ _

___CloTi 777 Center?_ _ _

__Cloud pushed the button once more “Go ahead”_ _

___Hey I know your busy but do you have any idea what you’re intentions might be?_ _ _

__“We’re working on it. We’re definitely going to land somewhere else, just not sure where that is yet. By the way fuel on board is approximately 200 tons, souls on board including crew is 503, waiting on more info”_ _

___Roger, I copy all that and I’ll start looking into airports nearby. In the meantime did you want a lower altitude?_ _ _

__“Cloud?” Tifa inquired. Cloud turned to see her holding up the notebook with a series of notes. He mouthed thanks and took it from her._ _

__“We’ll stay at 38 for now. Got that info on the patients when you’re ready”_ _

___Go ahead_ _ _

__Thankfully none of the sick had gotten any worse, unfortunately that also meant they hadn’t gotten any better either. With that out of the way, Cloud began typing away in the plane’s computer again which made Tifa a bit nervous._ _

__“Cloud…….sh-should you be pressing buttons like that?”_ _

__Cloud turned to her, noting the fear in her voice. “Tifa”_ _

__“Y-yeah?”_ _

__“Breathe”_ _

__Tifa sighed angrily, before sucking in a big gulp of air through her nose. She held it for a few seconds then slowly exhaled through her lips._ _

__“That’s it, try to relax. I’m not going to crash the airplane this way, it wouldn’t pass certification if it was that easy”_ _

__“H-how can you know that? You said-“_ _

__“Did some delivery flights for Shinra as one of their quality control captains”_ _

__“Wh-what, you didn’t-“_ _

__“7000 feet remember?”_ _

__“Cloud…..fine. Can you at least explain to me what it is you’re doing?”_ _

__“Trying to find the nearest airport. Problem is I’m not sure how much runway we need yet”_ _

__“Can’t you look that up?”_ _

__“Tifa…….”_ _

__“What? Oh……sorry”_ _

__“Its alright, tell you what behind your seat there should be a bag. Look for a tablet or a book that says Pilot’s Operating Handbook”_ _

__“Pilot Operating……………POH”_ _

__“Yeah, see what you can find”_ _

__“On it”_ _

__It took Cloud a few tries, but eventually he was able to pull up the data. “Shit”_ _

__Tifa turned to him, adrenaline coursing through her veins as he stared at one of the monitors in fear. “Wh-what is it Cloud?”_ _

__Cloud turned to face her, knowing full well she wasn’t going to like the answer. “Our best bet is Midgar”_ _

__“What?! Cloud-“_ _

__“I know……….but it’s got a long runway and a hospital. Other option is Junon but that’s an additional hour”_ _

__Tifa sat silent, thinking back to the memories she’d had there. It was the town they’d both grown up in, the one they’d both come to know and love, the place that they’d met as kids. Then there was the day of the explosion. Cloud and Tifa had been at the movies, when all of the sudden the ground started shaking like an earthquake. They rushed to their neighborhood, only to find a pile of rubble where their homes once stood. It took eighteen hours of them digging by hand to find what was left their parents bodies. Their friends Zack and Aerith suffered similar fates as well. The explosion was caused by a faulty gas line that hadn’t been properly maintained. Not long after that, the four of them received a payout and moved to Junon swearing to never to return to Midgar again._ _

__Then Cloud joined the military, while Zack went through flight school. Both of them had been fascinated by planes since they were boys. They trained hard, quickly rising through the ranks while earning the respect of their peers. Then Cloud got promoted to flying fighter jets. Tifa remembered being unbelievably proud of him. After everything he’d been through Cloud was able to pick himself back up again, giving her little doubt she could do the same._ _

__One day Cloud came home, and confessed his feelings to her. She was immediately overjoyed, ecstatic, and hopelessly in love. Her heart and soul had never felt as alive as they did when she was with Cloud. She’d felt the same way since the day they’d met, even before they became friends there was always a connection she could never shake. After that their relationship progressed quickly. They started began to spend more and more time together, going out on dates, and staying up late to talk. Eventually Cloud moved in with her. Waking up next to him every day was something that was far beyond anything Tifa could’ve ever imagined. It made her feel safe, comfortable, but more importantly it made her feel complete. Not long after, Zack and Aerith started going out as well. It was everything Tifa had wanted since losing her parents, the family she’d been looking everywhere for that had been right in front of her all along._ _

__After six months, Cloud started to become distant. It started taking him longer to respond to her calls or texts, even when he was home his mind seemed preoccupied. Tifa had tried asking him about it, but he’d always shrugged it off as being tired. Then one day, he stopped responding and not long after that he stopped coming home. Even Zack started having a tough time getting in touch with him, and when he did there wasn’t much to report. Just that he was flying and doing ok. After a few months Tifa decided enough was enough. She moved into her own place and changed her phone number. As far as she was concerned, it was over._ _

__Then she saw him again, on the very flight Aerith had pushed her to go on. That was probably the biggest irony of it all. Aerith was the one who had bought the scratch off ticket. She was the one who had won the all-expenses paid contest. However she insisted Tifa go instead, stating that she needed the break more than her. Now here she was staring into those adorable eyes of his, unable to suppress feelings she’d sworn to herself no longer existed._ _

__“Cloud”_ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__“You had better tell me everything when we reach 7000”_ _

__“D-deal, I will”_ _

__“Promise me Cloud. You’ll tell me the truth”_ _

__“Tifa………I promise”_ _

__“Ok”_ _

__“C-can you tell the crew we’ll be there in less than two hours”_ _

__“Fine”_ _

__Cloud sat back in his seat, struggling to slow his rapid heartbeat. If I survive this Tifa will probably kill me once we land. “Center CloTi 777”_ _

___Go ahead_ _ _

__“We’d like to divert to Midgar at this time, we’re going to need ambulances at the gate. Also if you get me the latest weather report that would be helpful”_ _

___Yeah I was just looking at that. Right now……lets see showing 2000 overcast, winds are out of the west at about 20 knots also showing light rain__ _

__“Yeah we’ll take that”_ _

___Alright CloTi 777 for now, descend and maintain 3 2 0 and I’ll show you diverting to Midgar_ _ _

__“And we’ll need ambulances at the gate please”_ _

___Right I copy that. I’ll give Midgar a call now_ _ _

__“Copy, we’re out of 3 8 0 for 3 2 0”_ _

__Tifa hung up the phone. “Captain is running a fever, but otherwise no change. Nurse said they are using wet towels”_ _

__“Great. Center CloTi 777?”_ _

___Go ahead_ _ _

__“We’d like to head directly to Midgar International at this time”_ _

___CloTi 777 that’s approved as requested_ _ _

__Tifa frowned. “Cloud-“_ _

__“Means we can turn directly toward the airport without any weird routing and he’s gonna clear all the traffic for us. He also gave us a lower altitude”_ _

__“R-really?”_ _

__Cloud nodded, reaching up to dial it into the autopilot. “Just 32,000 for now”_ _

__“Oh” Tifa breathed, realizing she sounded a bit more disappointed than intended._ _

__Cloud shook his head “We’ll get to that. Just be-“_ _

__“Don’t. Say. That word”_ _

__“S-sorry…..you find that book?”_ _

__“Yeah”_ _

__“Th-thank you for finding it. I know this is a shit thing to ask-“_ _

__“Then don’t ask it”_ _

__“Tifa please, let me finish first. We need to work together and make this happen. Until we reach 7000 feet can we just focus on that? Midgar is one of the busiest airspaces in the world. We need to be prepared I…….I need your help Tifa.”_ _

__Tifa shook her head. “You’ve got some nerve………..fine. What do you need?”_ _


	3. I Never Felt Fulfilled

“Set yours to 2977 also” Cloud instructed.

Tifa nodded, twisted the knob in front of her to the numbers he’d stated. The remainder of the flight had gone significantly smoother, with Tifa taking his advice to focus on the task at hand. Cloud meanwhile had gotten familiarized with most of the plane’s systems. 

“So after we land, I’ll need you activate the reverse. Its just up here” 

Tifa noted where he was pointing, seeing it was right in front of the plane’s throttle levers. “Cloud, will that-“

“No the engines will still be running just……trust me”

Tifa cracked a smile. “Ok mister ‘I only work on DVDs’” 

Cloud chuckled. “Yeah well, coming from the person who thought pushing a button would-

“Ok that’s enough Mr. Strife”

“Haven’t heard that in a while”

“What do they call you in the military then? Spiky?”

“Wow, how original”

Tifa bit her lip before exploding into a series of giggles. “Oh my god……they totally do” 

“Not anymore. Everyone knows if you call the Lieutenant names, it’s a one way ticket to bathroom duty”

Tifa’s stopped laughing. “You made Lieutenant?”

“Y-yeah, guess we haven’t talked about that”

Tifa couldn’t help but smile. “Oh my god Cloud!! That’s amazing!” 

“Th-thanks. You and Aerith start that bar?”

“Bet your ass we did. We’ve opened ten locations now”

Cloud’s jaw dropped, mouth hung open in shock. “What?! Tifa that’s incredible!”

Tifa failed to fight a rising blush on her face. “Th-thank you. Aerith keeps…….”

“What?”

“Nevermind” 

“Tifa-“

“She keeps insisting we add a couple locations in Midgar” 

“Oh……sorry”

“I just………don’t know what to tell her”

“Guess you two can discuss it after we land”

“Cloud………not that simple”

“Tifa……..you can own a location there and have Aerith check up on it if it is too much for you. Or even hire someone else to do it”

Tifa’s jaw dropped. “I……..never thought of that……th-thank you” 

“Don’t mention it. We’re um, cleared to 10,000 for now” 

“O-ok”

“Its alright……I was enjoying it too”

“Cloud…….”

Cloti 777 contact Midgar Approach on 125.7

To Cloud’s surprise Tifa took control of the radio. “I got it, one two five point seven for CloTi 777. Have a nice evening”

You too

Cloud watched with amazement, as Tifa reached over to the radio controls and dialed in the frequency. “Midgar Approach, CloTi 777 coming through……..15,700 for 12,000”

Cloti 777 Midgar approach, good evening altimeter 2977. Descend and maintain 8000 expect vectors for the ILS Two Seven Left unless you want something different

Tifa froze in place, unsure of how to answer.

Cloud smiled, pressing the button on his side. “Approach we request holding at 7000, two seven Left will be fine and please make sure the ambulances are there at the gate when we arrive” 

CloTi 777 I copy all that, and you can maintain 7000 just let me know when you are ready to come in. 

“CloTi 777.”

Cloud turned to her once more. Tifa……….”

“I know……you can handle the radio if-“

“No! Tifa that was incredible”

She looked up in surprise, beaming with excitement at the fact that she’d impressed him. “R-really?”

“Yeah absolutely! I love how you take charge its…….really something to be proud of”

“Cloud……th-thank you”

“You’re welcome. We’ll be at 7000 in about five minutes or so” 

“O-ok”

“Figured I’d let you talk first if that’s alright” 

“S-sure. Is there anything we need to do in the meantime?” 

“Yeah, go over approach speeds which we can start on right now” 

The rest of the five minutes flew by, as Cloud got the final information plugged into the computer and making sure Tifa was on the same page. Next thing they knew, the computer beeped at them three times.

“Wh-what’s that?” Tifa inquired.

“1000 feet to go” 

“Oh”

The remaining thirty seconds felt like years to them, as the altitude finally closed in and the plane stopped descending. 

The two of them turned to one another, letting their eyes do all the talking at first. Only the gentle whine of the engines provided a soundtrack. Eventually Tifa broke the silence.

“Why the hell didn’t you call me back?”

Cloud lowered his head in shame. “Because I was an idiot”

“You’re gonna have to do a hell of a lot better than that Cloud. You left me, all that time I kept waiting for someone to knock at the door and tell me…..”

Cloud’s face fell, the pang of guilt hitting him like a freight train. “Tifa…..I never thought…..”

“I……..had nightmares of it. Of Zack and Aerith walking up to the front door, their eyes filled with nothing but sadness as they told me you were…….then I’d wake up, crying my eyes out. I’d reach over to your side of the bed but…….”

Cloud raised her head, staring into her eyes filled with sadness. “Tifa……..I was an idiot. When they promoted me to the F22 I was guaranteed combat pay but that also meant…..higher risk” 

Tifa’s mouth hung open. “Y-you didn’t tell me that. I thought you just flew the 16?”

“Y-yeah…….I thought…….”

“Thought what Cloud?” 

Cloud let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t want you to worry”

“What?! Cloud-“

“We lost them Tifa. Both of us lost them in the same night. I still remember the unimaginable pain we went through then. You cried for days, begging me over and over to bring them back. I couldn’t…….be responsible for hurting you that way again if the worst were to happen. So I pushed you away, pretended the feelings weren’t real. Then Zack started getting on my case, so I pushed him away too”

Tifa’s mouth quivered, eyes rapidly filling with tears.“Cloud……”

“I didn’t want the people I cared about getting hurt, so I just kept flying. No matter how hard I pushed the plane and myself………I never felt fulfilled”

Tifa burst with emotion as her heart shattered into a million pieces. That was it, the answer she’d been waiting for. Cloud’s odd behvaior, his dismissiveness when she asked him what was wrong, his disappearing. All the pain hurt and anger he’d caused her finally made sense. She sobbed uncontrollably in her seat, struggling to find the ability to talk. “Fuck Cloud….”

Cloud closed his eyes for a moment, also unable to hold back the tears. Then slowly but surely he reopened them, heart sinking with guilt as Tifa continued to sob. “I know. Then my Commander Highwind got married and I got invited to the wedding. He gave me a plus one but……I didn’t know what I’d say to you after all that time. Seeing them walk down the aisle, the look they had in their eyes was…….something I realized I couldn’t live without. After that I spoke with him, and he reassigned me to cargo on a different plane, meant less pay but more days off. I rushed home eager to surprise you but…..”

Tifa gasped in horror. “Cloud…..”

“You were gone, and the place was nearly empty. I tried calling but the line was disconnected. I got a hold of Aerith who told me to stay the hell away from you if it was the last thing I ever did”

“I……didn’t know she said that”

“She did. After that I moved out and kept flying for the military, just doing cargo only. Got promoted to Lieutenant and put on delivery flights as well doing quality control”

“Quality control?”

“When the military gets a new plane they have pilots inspect it first for defects. Only those with a Lieutenant rank or higher are selected”

Tifa wiped away a few tears, cracking a smile.“Cloud……..that’s amazing”

“Th-thank you. Then about six months ago I was honorably discharged. Got hired on at an airline and was just about to make captain when it all went down”

“What went down?”

Cloud took a deep breath. “About a week ago, we were doing a flight to Hong Kong. Two hours in we get a call that there was a kidnapped person on board. After a while we found the victim and got the criminal into custody. The nearest airport was twenty minutes away, yet the captain insisted we return back to where we started”

“What?!”

“That’s exactly what I said to him. We argued for a little while, until he pulled rank on me and did it anyway. After that I filed a company complaint against him. Then he filed one against me for insubordination.”

“Jesus Cloud……..” 

“The airline sided with me at the hearing. He was demoted for two years. I got two weeks paid vacation as appreciation for speaking up. Their making me go through training again, this time for captain thankfully” 

“Th-that’s why you got on this flight…..” 

“Y-yeah….was supposed to take off two days ago but we lost power so my alarm never went off”

“What about Zack?”

“He was stubborn as hell, kept hanging up on me every time I called. I reached out to my Commander who had to pull quite a few strings to track him down. We eventually met up in Paris, it……went about well as you might imagine”

“He was pretty pissed at you Cloud”

“I was too. The argument was……tough. He never got physical with me, just said a lot of nasty words that I probably deserved. Then he stormed off saying he had a flight to catch. Three days later he texted me and asked if we could talk. We ended up being on the phone for five hours. We’re not back to where we were but………with time”

“Cloud….”

“Tifa. I am so so sorry I did that. I hope you know that it was all real to me. Every moment we shared, every kiss we had, every night we cried together. They were never something I could ever throw away. I know I don’t deserve a second chance-“

“Stop. You stop that right now Cloud Strife. You made a mistake, as did I by shutting you out completely. Yes its true you did hurt me. A lot but……..now I understand why. It……..was all real to me too Cloud”

Cloud’s mouth hung open in shock. “Tifa……..are you saying-“

“Y-yeah…….even as much as it hurt, I couldn’t let go either. I’ve been on a few blind dates but……….I just felt so empty. Even as the company grew it just felt like a paycheck to me. Aerith tried cheering me up but…….”

“No matter how hard you pushed it wasn’t enough”

Tifa’s vision blurred as a flood of tears streamed down her face. “How did……oh my god….” 

“Y-yeah……..I know”

She wiped several of them away, looking up to face him once more. “Cloud. Swear to me, we talk about these things from now on. And don’t ever shut me out like that again ok? I…….want to give this another try, but only if you’ll let me in” 

Cloud hesitated, mind catching up with the reality of her answer. How is this possible? After everything I put her through, she’s still willing to give me another shot. He found himself of something his commander said to him again and again. 

_Strife, it don’t matta if its planes, women, or a fist fight. Never limit yourself. Never let anyone or anything tell you what you can or cannot do, that includes internal factors like the voice in the back of your head. Vast majority of the time that’s fear talkin’, you let that control you and you’ll never get anywhere in life_

Cloud stared deeply into her eyes. This is it, we get another chance. “Yes. Tifa, I promise you. I’ll never shut you out again. We’ll talk”

“About everything?”

“Everything” 

Tifa burst into a fit of tears. “Cloud……I missed you so much”

Cloud nodded, reaching across to wipe them away. “Me too. Right now we need to get this thing on the ground”

“R-Right and…….never mind”

“Tifa-“

“I want you to move back in with me” She blurted a little too quickly.

Cloud’s mouth hung open. “Tifa are you serious?”

_Cloti 777 Midgar_

Cloud sighed in frustration, pressing the talk button. “Standby”

Tifa nodded. “Its ok, go ahead and answer them we’ll-“

“Tifa stop. I’m not doing this again with you. We said we’d talk about these things so let’s talk”

Tifa’s brows rose in surprise. “Y-you’re different………”

Once again they were interrupted, this time by the phone. Cloud immediately answered it “Yes? We’ll be landing soon, tell everyone to buckle up………..yes I told them about the ambulances. No problem”

Cloud hung up, and jumped to the radio. “Approach we should be ready soon, give us just a few more minutes”

Cloti 777 roger can you take a turn? There’s some terrain ahead I’d like to get you around

“Absolutely” 

Tifa watched in amazement as Cloud dialed in the information, using yet another knob she hadn’t noticed. Within seconds the plane began banking to the right. Is there anything he can’t do?

Cloud turned to her once more and did something she’d long since forgotten about. His touch was just as electric as before, creating pleasant warmth inside her chest. Her heart pounded like a marching drum as his fingers intertwined with hers, giving her hand a healthy squeeze. Tifa felt more tears well up inside her eyes, as all the feelings came rushing back at once. The feeling of love, that connection that she’d tried so hard to bury after what he’d done. Yet now, it was as if none of it had ever happened.

“Talk to me, different how?”

“You’ve never been so……upfront with me”

“All the time we’ve been apart just……made me realize how much I need you. How much you’re worth fighting for. How much we are worth fighting for” 

Tifa’s voice quivered as she struggled to maintain composure. “Cl-Cloud……..I want you to come home. I want to wake up next to you again, I want………us to have a future together” 

“Tifa……I do too”

“R-really?”

Cloud stared deeply into her deep red eyes filled with tears. He recalled what they’d been like when he’d stepped on board, so empty and void of life. Now they were filled with the joy and happiness he’d remembered them for. He could tell that slowly but surely, his Tifa was coming back to him. “Of course Tifa……you should’ve told me this a long time ago” 

“Yeah well……..guess we call it even”

Cloud chuckled. “Guess we will, I have to let go for now ok?”

“O-ok”

“Don’t worry, not leaving you” 

“Cloud………..I’m not either” 

The remainder of the flight was whirl wind. With Cloud coordinating the approach into Midgar while Tifa spoke with the flight attendants to ensure the passengers were ready for landing.

Tifa hung up the phone and turned to brief Cloud, only to freeze in shock. It wasn’t what she saw, but rather what she didn’t see. “Cl-Cloud……..”

Cloud turned from the chart he was looking at, noting the look of fear in her eyes. “Tifa what’s wrong?”

“Wh-where did the stars go?” 

The previous view outside the window had been one of the most beautiful views she’d ever seen. An endless night sky filled with constellations, and even hints of the milky way. Now all she saw was a milky white substance instead. No stars, no moon, and more importantly no ground. 

“Just a cloud”

“What?” 

“We’re descending through the clouds”

“Th-then how will you know where the airport is?”

Cloud burst with laughter. “Heaven give me strength…..” 

Tifa scoffed, struggling not to giggle herself. “Stop laughing meanie!!” 

“S-sorry…….just trust me. I’ll find it, matter of fact I’m gonna turn off the autopilot”

“Wh-what? Cloud…….I think we’re turning”

“No just……..Tifa do you trust me?”

“Of course but-“

“Then just look out the window for me, let me know when you see lights” 

“O-ok”

The computer beeped five times, signaling that Cloud had indeed taken control. 

Cloti 777 fire equipment is standing by you’re 15 miles from touchdown. Contact the tower now 123.7 have a great night

“Over to tower, thank you for all the help”

No problem 

“Cl-Cloud…….this feels weird”

“I know, it’ll be ok. Not letting you go again”

“Cloud…..”

“Midgar Tower, Cloti 777”

CloTI 777 good evening, the equipment is standing by. Bases are reported at about 1000 feet, you are cleared to land and the wind is calm.

“CloTi 777 cleared to land. Tifa….remember the reverse as soon as the wheels touch down ok?”

“O-ok, how high are we?” 

“Coming up on 3000 feet, I’ve got to focus now. Deep breaths ok?”

“O-ok, I trust you Cloud”

The cockpit went stone silent as Cloud continued to instruct Tifa on final preparations for landing, including lowering the landing gear. 

“Pull the lever all the way down. You should see five green lights, count them off for me” 

Tifa reached forward, yanking the small lever to the down position. Her eyes stared nervously, as the red lights went out one by one. Then ever so slowly, they illuminated once more. “One. Two……Three…Four, Five”

“Perfect, you’re doing a great job Tifa, let me know when you see the runway lights” 

Tifa looked out the window once more. Suddenly two bright beams of light appeared, illuminating the cloud around them. Her eyes widened as it whisked by them at lightning like speed. “Cloud….”

“Just the landing lights Tifa, they help me-“

“No it’s……..beautiful” 

Cloud smiled, happy to share his passion with the person who mattered most to him. “Best part is yet to come”

“I’m……starting to see why Zack is gone so much” 

Cloud laughed for several seconds. “Still gonna talk to him about that, you should see them soon”

Tifa leaned forward to get a better view. Small holes started appearing below them briefly, only to disappear a split second later. “I’ve uh……never been you know”

“Never been………wait this is your first time on a plane?” 

“Y-yeah……..”

“Zack didn’t invite you?”

“He did but……..”

“But? Oh……you wanted to go with me”

“Y-yeah…..” 

“Sorry it took so long” 

Tifa smiled slightly. “I’d say its worth the- lights!!”

Suddenly the clouds parted completely. The runway appeared right in front of them, just like Cloud promised. Off in the distance she could see Downtown Midgar. She also noted they were not as high off the ground as she’d thought, giving her the impression that she could reach out and touch the lights beneath them.

Tifa turned to him, noting the focused look on his face. If only he’d put as much focus on our relationship as he did flying. I’m still gonna give him a chance, after our history it’s no less than we each deserve.

The ground moved in closer as the plane grew lower and lower. Then Cloud pulled back the engine levers completely, causing Tifa’s heart to skip several beats at the sensation of falling from the sky. Then the wheels touched down gracefully. Tifa nervously reached forward, pulling back the two levers as he’d instructed. Cloud meanwhile, reached down and pulled yet another level she hadn’t seen. The plane rolled down the runway with lightning speed, causing Tifa to fear that there wouldn’t be enough space. Then all the sudden, the plane slowed to a crawl.

Cloud moved both the lever in the middle and the ones Tifa had pulled back to their previous positions with his right hand. Simultaneously he used his left hand to operate the radio. “Tower you got a gate for us?”

CloTi 777 just off your left you should see a follow me with flashing lights. They’ll lead you to the gate and the ambulances are standing by. Do you need any more assistance from us?

“No that’s alright, I see them off the left hand side. We’re just gonna taxi to the gate then, tell everyone I said thank you for the help”

Will do, you can taxi to the gate with me and have a great evening. Nice landing!

“You too and thanks. Tifa…..”

Tifa bit her lip nervously. “I tried to do it as quick-“

“That was incredible.”

“R-really?”

“You’re the best co-pilot I could ever ask for, and I don’t mean just in the cockpit”

Tifa felt her heart throb like never before. “Cl-Cloud…..”

Cloud turned the plane off the runway toward the yellow flashing lights. “You know during the descent before we had our talk, I honestly couldn’t believe it. It felt like you’d never left, like all the feelings I had came back to life. I battled with them for months but they just wouldn’t stop. Anytime I wasn’t flying I went crazy thinking about you”

Tifa’s voice quivered with emotion. “Cl-Cloud……..that’s why you said I drove you…….”

“Y-yeah……I was going to take a full schedule once I got promoted. Airline is opening a new base in China, double the pay”

“China?!”

Cloud shook his head. “Tifa just listen to me. That was my plan, but it wouldn’t have worked. I realized that the second I saw you on board. It doesn’t matter where I go or what I do. A part of you is always with me” 

Tifa's heart fluttered with life. “Cl-Cloud…….me too. I worked so many hours with our company that I…….ended up sleeping for three days straight”

Cloud’s breath caught inside his throat. “”Wh-what? Tifa……”

“It still didn’t work. I kept dreaming about you, about our time together. The memories we’d made, and…….the ones we’d never get to make. Aerith and Zack recommended I see someone but……….”

Cloud nodded in understanding. “Yeah my commander said the same thing. Guess we’re both too stubborn for our own good sometimes”

“Y-yeah……..guess so” 

Suddenly a thunder of applause came from behind the cockpit door, along with a plethora of cheers stomps and hollers. 

Tifa smiled wide. “You ever get a welcome like this?”

“This is definitely a first for me. I can’t believe……we did it.”

Tifa reached across the console, grabbing Cloud by the hand. “We did”

Cloud turned his head, staring deeply into her eyes.“This is the biggest plane ever made and we just…..Tifa.

“What is it Cloud?”

“I……..I want you to know I couldn’t have done it without you” 

“Oh Cloud…….I couldn’t either. I waited so long for this….”

“I did too…….now I think there’s something we need to do. All four of us”

Tifa frowned, tilting her head curiously. “Four of us?” 

_Epilogue_

A week later

Tifa waited patiently at their favorite restaurant for him to arrive. After they’d landed, Cloud had faced a million and one questions from reporters, the airline, and government officials. He refused to answer any of them until he was sure of two things. One that the sick were tended to, and two that she was there with him. Even during the private interviews from the aviation investigators, he’d flat out refused to say a word if Tifa wasn’t in the room with him. It was a side of Cloud she’d never seen but couldn’t help but admire. He truly had cared about her all along he just never knew how to show it. 

The investigation cleared them both of any wrong doing. The airline’s food supplier admitted full responsibility for the damages. All the sick passengers and crew made a full recovery thanks to Cloud and Tifa’s actions. The Director of Midgar General stated there wasn’t a second to spare reinforcing Cloud’s choice not to continue on to Junon. There was no damage whatsoever done to the airplane, which returned to service two days later.

Then Aerith arrived, giving Cloud a piece of her mind and then some at first. After a while she calmed down, and the three of them went somewhere private to chat. It took some convincing but ultimately Aerith agreed if it made the two of them happy she was all for it. A couple days later, Zack arrived. In some ways TIfa was nervous about the four of them being together again after so much time had passed. Surprisingly though the four of them found themselves getting along just like old times. Talking, laughing, and reminiscing about the good old days. Then Cloud had insisted they make one stop before leaving Midgar.

Seeing her parents’ grave had been more difficult than Tifa could’ve ever anticipated. The amount of pain suffering and loss that fell upon them was unimaginable. Thankfully Cloud was there for her this time, holding her close and refusing to let go as she cried her heart out. As painful as it was Tifa was glad they did it as a group. Although they’d lost their families then, standing there together on that rainy day made them realize something. That this was their chance to build a new one

Then Cloud moved back in. It was everything Tifa had hoped for and then some. Getting to hold him every night and waking up to him every morning warmed her heart in a way that nothing else could. Knowing that it was for real this time and he wasn’t going anywhere was everything Tifa had ever wanted. 

“There you are” 

Tifa looked up to see him standing nearby in jeans and a Shinra T Shirt. She rose from the table, giving him a brief kiss on the lips. “Nice of you to arrive on time” 

“Sorry about that, had to fill out the last report”

Tifa frowned. “For the flight? Thought you were done with that?”

“This was for the insurance”

“Insurance?”

“Y-yeah…….they want to pay us Tifa”

“W-what?!” 

“Yeah something the airline has set up. We get 250,000 each”

“Wait Cloud backup…….seriously?”

Cloiud nodded, reaching into his pocket. “Yeah……I’ve got the report here” 

Tifa watched in awe as he pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. “No conditions, just thanks for a job well done”

“Cl-Cloud……..what does this mean?” 

“Means I can fly for the airline part time, only be gone ten days a month”

“What?!”

“Yeah……..really”

“Cl-Cloud……..are you serious?”

“Absolutely. Tifa…….can you sign it?”

“Y-yeah……..do you have a pen?”

Cloud smiled, pulling it out from his pocket. “Don’t leave home without it”

Tifa’s heart fluttered with excitement as he scribbled in his signature. “Cl-Cloud…….”

He set the pen down, moving in closer and pulling her into a hug. “I know”

Tifa sighed as her body melded with his in a way she could never describe. “I c-can’t believe it………if I hadn’t gotten on that flight-“

“But you did, and now……….we’re getting the future we deserve” 

“You always know exactly what I’m thinking”

“Had a lot of practice screwing it up”

Tifa giggled for several seconds. Only Cloud could make her cry and laugh in such a short time frame. “I hate you” 

“Yeah yeah……” 

Tifa slowly broke free, taking the pen from him. I can’t believe this, I finally got everything I wanted. Hopefully the best is still yet to come for us. With one last deep breath, she signed the piece of paper.

“Tifa”

She slowly turned around, noting that he looked incredibly nervous. “Cloud…….”

“There’s something else”

“Wh-what? Cloud I don’t know if I can take anymore……” 

“Tifa, you remember on the flight? That weird dream I had?”

“Y-yeah……..you were looking for something”

“I was. Ended up having to wait for you and Aerith to go out yesterday so I could look for it”

Tifa shook her head. “Wh-what? Cloud hang on a second-” 

Cloud stepped forward and grabbed her by the hand. “Not waiting anymore Tifa”

Tifa gasped in shock as Cloud got down on one knee. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small red box. “Cl-Cloud……”

He opened it, revealing a red sapphire ring. The band was silver and shaped with a series of dolphins pointing towards the top. “Tifa. There is not one day that has gone by since we’ve met where I haven’t thought of you. Even with everything we went through, even before we started dating………my world always revolved around you” 

Tifa broke down, sobbing uncontrollably at the thought of what he was insinuating. “Oh my god Cloud…..” 

“Tifa…..it has been a privilege to have been your partner. Will you give me the honor of being your husband?”

Tifa continued to sob for several moments, unable to breathe the answer she’d known all along. “Cloud……….absolutely” 

“Wh-what?”

Tifa giggled with emotion. “I would love that it…….would be an honor to be called Mrs. Strife” 

Cloud stood up quickly, nearly knocking Tifa over. “S-sorry” 

“Oh my god Cloud just put it on already before something else happens!”

Cloud smiled, grabbing her by the hand and sliding the ring on. “Looks good on you” 

“Its perfect. Cloud……….I love you so much” 

“Tifa…….I love you too” 

She pulled him into a hug, crying out with joy. He squeezed her tight, fearing what were to happen if he’d let go again.

“Y-you really dreamed about this? On the plane?”

“I did”

“W-we hadn’t seen each other in so long”

“I never gave up on you Tifa. I…….I’ll never give up on you”

Tifa buried her face into his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. “Oh Cloud! I won’t either! Y-you’re all I’ve ever wanted!”

“Me too”

“I……..can’t believe it. We’re really together”

Cloud gave her one last squeeze. “Like we always should have been”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed this, I really tried to keep the aviation stuff simple but since Cloud was a pilot I couldn’t really avoid it completely. There are more fics on the way so watch out for those. Thank you for reading!


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